i2e2/Tao-Tourney Round 2
DaGeek vs FlushtheSheep
by TX-0

I was trying to be in the right spot at the right time to get to observe a match to report one. Fortunately on of my SC friends is playing the tournament. I was a little leery about Observing his game, since many know we play together and I wanted no talk of cheating. For one reason or another I was on his side town and I stopped by. He was going to play PlushTheSheep for round two of the Tao tourney. I decided to watch the matches from point of view. Of course getting screen shots is somewhat of problem, I didn't want to be obsessively hanging over his shoulder to push the print screen button so I apologize for the limited number of shots.

Match 1
The first game started quickly... apparently they were yaking before I got there, so with a quick GL the game started.
DaGeek Picked Zerg
FlushtheSheep picked Protoss

DaGeek build was
9 Drones
Overlord
3 Drones
Hatch at natural
Spawning Pool

While I couldn't see FlushetheSheep's build, it was a quick tech build, as you'll read. I'm guessing something like
Pylon on 8
Gate on 10
Gate on 12
Pylon
Gas
Core
Robotics bay

Anyway back to the game, shortly after the 2nd hatch completes a probe and zealots attack the hatch, Dageek quickly orders up a creep colonies next to it and freshly made zerglings chase off the offenders.

They follow right back to FlushtheSheep's base and get attacked by 4 zealots or so. They turn tail and run back to the safety of the sunkens at Dageek's Natural.

(Please note the image of the right was a taken latter than one on the left. They have been combined for your connivance)

Dageek's second Overlord now entering FlushtheSheep's base reveals Reaver tech, and Dragoons. That Overlord is lost, Dageek decides he'll need muta's to deal with Reavers.

This strat works better than one might think basically the Muta's go and a suicide mission to kill the Reaver, when it's dead the run and the zeglins tear apart the dragoons. Needless to say it only works if you can pick off the reaver.

Anyway, Dageek had a couple hydra and bunch of zergling while he teched to muta's. Flush tried to creep into Dageek's natural a few times, but withdrew. He was able to pick off a few OL's that where carelessly floating around. This hurt Dageek a bit.

Finally he crept some units to the ramp at the top and tried to push in. Dageek target the Reaver 1st, then took down the other units. FlushtheSheep did a good move where he would pick up the Reaver in the shuttle after the units targeted it, then dropped it before the shuttle burst. He was able to get a extra shot this way. After the conflict Dageek only had few zerglins and a hydra or two.

Shorty Dageek's 8 Muta's hatched and he flew them into FlushtheSheep's main, they were able to pick off a few probes, but not many before Dragoon's forced them to run. There isn't enough gas to make hordes of muta's so DaGeek makes more Hydra's and Zerglings and searches for more gas.

Dageek expands to the left middle expansion.

It seems FlushtheSheep is massing units on the other side of the bridge of Dageek natural.

All grows quite for a bit, Dageek sends a zergling around the map. He finds a nexus warping in the middle of the right side. But it was been cancelled by the time other units arrive to take it out.

They poke at each other a bit across the bridge, ("playing reindeer games"), FlushtheSheep has a established a expansion there, and a large mass of Dragoons.

Dageek moves a horde of zerglings and a few hydra's up to the middle and back down into Flush the sheep main base, hoping to catch him off guard. They don't get a chance to do much damage as FlushtheSheep buildings are tightly packed and cannon's, DT's, and Reavers are mixed in.

FlushtheSheep drops 2 Reavers one Dageek's new expansion (mid-left). Dageek runs the dones away and expands again top middle. Another scouting zergling find FlushtheSheep has made cannon's above the ramp in the upper right corner. I assume he has a nexus there also.

Shortly after about 5 shuttles full of Reavers land on top of DaGeek's main base, there really nothing he can do to stop them. He runs everything he has at FlushtheSheep's mid-lower expansion. He takes out the Dragoon's and does some damage, before Flushthesheep shuttles the Reavers over to help. There really isn't much Dageek can do any longer. "GG" are exchanged and it's off to round 2.


Match 2
Once again I apologize for the lack of images, but as you will soon read, there is little need for them is this match.

Dageek picks Zerg
FlushtheSheep picks Protoss

Dageek starts in the upper-left corner of the map.

He makes 9 drones
Overlord
Hatch at natural
Spawning pool
Hatch at mid-left expansion.

Suspecting that FlushtheSheep would do a Quick tech build, Dageek felt he could exploit it with 3 hatch zerglings. Shortly after Dageek started his second Hatch at his natural a probe took a few shots at this started running around his main. A lone zealot made his way to the 2nd hatch, just as the zerglings hatched out of the eggs. They made quick work of the zealot.

He start massing zerglings out of the 2 completed hatches (and soon the third).

His second scouting OL found FlushtheSheep's main base in the upper-right corner. "He has a shuttle already?" exclaimed DaGeek. Within Seconds Hordes of Zerglings where pounding on the 5 zealots he had parked on his ramp. 2 were fighting while the other 3 ran like Chickens with there heads cut off. After the first 2 fell the zerglings rushed into the main, it was over. The probes went quickly to the hordes. "LOL" popped up from FlushtheSheep and he left the game.

Match 3
This ones for the money, (or a chance to advance in the touney anyway)
Once again there are few pictures, but as read you really won't need them.
Dageek once again picks Zerg .
FlushtheSheep picks Protoss.

Dageek decides quick muta's are perhaps the thing since FlushtheSheep will likely make more early zealots to deal with zerglings. Sometimes you start with the winning strat. sometimes you don't. The trick is to stay versatile enough to switch when you've picked wrong. Having a plan, even a bad one is better than no plan at all.

Dageek does his normal thing at the bottom-left start position.
9 drones
OL
Hatch at natural
Pool
Gas

"You should never do the same strat twice" says FlushtheSheep, and he's right. This why I prefer the best of 3, over the single elimination. It keeps you on your toes.

Dageek makes a suken next to his natural and small number of zerglings. When the OL finds FlushtheSheeps base in the upper-left Corner. He had no tech and 3 gates. "Crap zealot rush" shouts Dageek and immediately starts 2 more sunkens are que up some zerglings. Meanwhile his Spire is morphing. FlushtheSheep comes running in see the sukens and runs out. The OL in main spots a Nexus warping in his natural, this mean he'll have no defensives against the muta's. Shortly the muta's rip apart his probe line and "GG" are exchanged.

They yack for awhile, complain about the map, and play another game on Lost Temple which FlushtheSheep wins.

I congratulate both player for games well played, and Dageek for moving on in the tourneyment.

I hope you enjoyed the report

-  TX-0